Tales of the Shinigami
by kirayasha aka kira
Summary: Collection of short stories revolving around William T. Spears, Grell Sutcliff, & Ronald Knox. Written for LJ's Fanfic Bake-off, various ratings
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **It's not easy being me…  
**Fandom:** Kuroshitsuji  
**Author:** kira  
**Words:** 300  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A typical day at work for William…  
**Warnings: **none

888

William T. Spears took his work as a reaper extremely seriously. He had no time for frivolity like that fluff-ball Grell Sutcliff nor did he approve of rushing through a job like Sutcliff's protégé, Knox was wont to do. No, William liked to take things methodically, getting the job done in a timely fashion with no overtime.

But as he sat at his desk, in his office at the Dispatch Management Division of the Shinigami, he could feel Grell Sutcliff staring at him. That put a definite damper on his work as he was finding it hard to concentrate knowing the twit was goofing off behind him. Spears was sorely tempted to turn around and reprimand the flamboyant redhead, but the thought of actually seeing Sutcliff making cow eyes at him was nauseating.

It became a silent battle of wills, to see how long William could work without having to turn around and say something. That in itself was an exercise in frustration as Grell hung on his every word while disregarding anything William said. But enough was enough and turning around to tell the stupid twit to go back to work or else, William instantly regretted it. Grell was sitting there, making disgusting kissing noises, although, Spears was relieved to note the redheaded moron was directing them at his framed photograph of that blasted demon, Sebastian Michaelis. Before he could tell the idiot to get back to stop fooling around and get back to work, they locked gazes.

After staring into each other's eyes for what felt like an eternity, William opened his mouth to speak. Grell, however, beat him to the punch. In typical Sutcliff fashion, he leaned forward, and flashing his saw-toothed grin, he purred, "Don't worry, William, I love you too," punctuating it with a kiss…


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **All the world's a stage…  
**Fandom:** Kuroshitsuji  
**Author:** kira  
**Words:** 300  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** Grell prepares to take the stage…  
**Warnings: **Spoilerish for the 1st OVA…

888

Grell Sutcliff sat at the mirror, primping. Tonight would be his big debut on the stage as Ophelia in Shakespeare's _Hamlet. _He was thrilled not only because he had the chance to play a woman onstage, but he would be sharing said stage with his beloved Sebastian. And that Agni fellow from India turned out to be extremely handsome in Grell's humble opinion. He figured if he played his cards right, he could get him to dump that silly prince and make curry for him instead. Grell sighed. _So many men and so little me to go around…_

Picking up his lipstick, the flaming redhead puckered up, before applying it. He pouted at his reflection, pretending he was about to kiss his supervisor, William T. Spears, who was the other love of his life. While he did find Sebastian Michaelis attractive, all that flirting with him was more to make William jealous than anything else. That fact that it irritated not only Sebastian, but William as well was gravy in the flamboyant Shinigami's mind as he chose to see it as both men vying for his affections.

A knock on his dressing room door was his cue to get ready for his performance. Grell stood, smoothing the lines of his simple red gown._ My darling, you are simply gorgeous if I may say so myself_..._ Gr_ell tittered at his reflection and turned. Opening the door of his dressing room, the redheaded Shinigami stepped out and into the wings. As he stood there, waiting for his cue, Grell wondered if William was going to attend tonight's performance. If he did, the fey redhead felt that he would die happy, that is if he could die a second time. Thoughts of William dancing in his head, Grell stepped out onto the stage…


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **How to succeed in business without really trying…  
**Fandom:** Kuroshitsuji  
**Author:** kira  
**Words:** 300  
**Rating:** K  
**Summary:** Ronald Knox is determined to go far at work…  
**Warnings: **none

888

Ronald Knox may have been the new kid at the offices of the Dispatch Management Division of the Shinigami, but he seemed to have things all figured out. He arrived at work whenever he wanted, which meant he was permanently tardy, but much to William Spear's surprise he was able to get his work done on time. That was a remarkable feat, as he had Grell Sutcliff for a mentor. In fact, William had a sneaking suspicion that the boy would go very far if he kept it up.

What Ronald's supervisor was unaware of was the motivation behind his behavior. The reason he was always late was he was busy partying the night before. All the ladies at the offices of the Dispatch Management Division of the Shinigami thought he was extremely charming, from the dour Miss Peterson, to the adorable Connery twins. They all vied for his attention and the charming and flirtatious Knox did his best to enchant them all. While everyone knew just what a player he was, it still did not stop them from doing as Ronald asked. That was how a pair of grass shears for a death scythe became a lawnmower. His mentor may have been content to work with safety scissors, but Ronald wanted something cooler.

And speaking of mentors, Ronald snorted in amusement while Grell snored softly at his desk. He had invited him along to a party last night, and while Sutcliff proved himself to be everybody's little darling, he crashed hard the next day. Unfortunately, that resulted in extra work for Ronald and their supervisor, but he deemed it well worth the effort as it netted him the phone number of the cute secretary in the head office. Ronald was determined to go far… one secretary at a time…


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** How I _love_ my job…  
**Fandom: **Kuroshitsuji  
**Author:** kira  
**Words:** 300  
**Rating:** OT  
**Summary:** William laments his job…  
**Warnings: **none

**888**

_Detail, details, details…_ William T. Spears thought as he read through the stack of reports on his desk._ With two assistants this should a piece of cake to get through, but no, I've got a lovesick who-the-hell-knows-what and a flirt who loves to party with every woman he sees! Old, young, they're all fair game to him!_ William mentally heaved a long suffering sigh._ Life and sometimes death are decidedly not fair…_ Picking up the latest report, he groaned softly._ More stupid nonsense from that twit, Sutcliff! Who the hell cares what kind of cake he had with that demon Michaelis? And must he decorate everything with silly little hearts? It's hard to find the details in all this mess!_

"Will… oh, Will?" Grell trilled. Hands on William's desk, he leaned forward until he was face to face with his boss. "Are you done yet? Everyone's wondering why you're missing your party."

"Do you mind, Sutcliff? I've work to do and it won't get done if you keep bothering me," Spears sternly replied.

"But, Will…" Grell pouted.

"But nothing! And before you go on about how hard Knox worked to put this party together, all he did was con a few of the pretty girls from the library to do it for him." He stifled a yawn. "Anything else…?"

Undeterred, Grell went on, "You missed me jumping out of your cake!"

_Thankfully!_ "I see, that would explain the frosting in your-" The rest of whatever William was about to say, when he looked up, was swallowed in a kiss from Grell that he never saw coming.

Breaking it, Grell winked at him, before sashaying out of the office.

_Maybe I should go to that party and make sure everyone behaves, especially Sutcliff…_ Closing the report, William headed out the room…


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** I love you, I hate you!  
**Fandom: **Kuroshitsuji  
**Author:** kira  
**Words:** 300  
**Rating:** OT  
**Summary:** Grell's memories of the late Angelina Durless are not as fond as he wanted to believe…  
**Warnings: **none

888

Grell Sutcliff had a rich and detailed imagination. From his after hours fantasies about his boss, William T. Spears to his naughty romps with the demon butler, Sebastian Michaelis, to the occasional fling with the memory of Angelina Durless, Grell would happily spend hours thinking about them and what he wanted to do, and had done in Angelina's case, with them. Just about anything could spark a fantasy as he found his work as a Shinigami for the most part tedious and boring to the extreme. But now as he toyed with the slice of red velvet cake his protégé, Ronnie Knox, had so thoughtfully brought him, he found his thoughts straying to her.

Picking up his teacup, he sipped from it, letting the warm, rich flavor of the Assam tea wash over his tongue. Angelina, or Annie as he liked to call her when they were deep in the throes of passionate release, once tried to instruct him on the many varieties of tea, with little success. He sighed softly as he set his teacup down._ Angelina… my Annie…Oh the fun we had painting the London streets red with blood! And afterwards, rolling in your red satin sheets, making sweet passionate love… You were the only woman I ever loved, could ever love, would ever love… And yet… _He stabbed the slice of cake violently.i_ In the end, you were just as fickle and faithless as all the rest! Using and abusing me! Refusing to grant me one simple request!/i_ Grell felt his eyes welling up with tears.

"Are you alright, sir?" Ronnie asked, pulling him from his reverie.

Grell nodded. "Just a minor detail giving me trouble," he replied.

"Perhaps you should take a break, sir, or you'll end up sour and grumpy like Spears."

Grell laughed. "Indeed…"


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** How hard can this job be?  
**Fandom: **Kuroshitsuji  
**Author:** kira  
**Words:** 300  
**Rating:** OT  
**Summary:** A typical day at the office for Ronald Knox  
**Warnings: **none

888

When Ronald Knox first became a Shinigami, he worried that all the various details needed for his paperwork would put a damper on his playboy lifestyle. It turns out he was wrong. Not only was soul reaping a piece of cake, so was the paperwork. He could never understand why his mentor Grell seemed to find it so difficult to hand in a report on time, nor did he understand why their boss, William T. Spears labored so much over them. In Ronnie's humble opinion, all you needed were a few key details from the person's life as well as their death and you were done, finished, hand me the next case so I can get the hell out of here on time. Then again, most of his cases consisted of reaping the souls of the most boring and lame individuals.

Ronnie picked up another report folder, and opening it, he began to jot down the key details in it. When he read it over, he realized how pathetic the woman's life had been. Old before her time and dirt poor judging by her shabby dress, she seemed to welcome his intrusion into the last moments of her life with open arms. She had no fear, no regrets, no laments that she still had plenty of life left to live. Instead, she had a calm acceptance of the inevitable.

A few more notes about her life and Ronnie was able to finish that report, before picking up another one. Quickly jotting down the necessary details, Ronnie had the stack finished in no time at all. He was about to go help his mentor, Grell, when he suddenly remembered he had a date with that cute Rebekkah Finch from Accounting. A quick "good-night" later, Ronnie left to go on his date…


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Same crap; different day  
Fandom: Kuroshitsuji  
Author: kira  
Words: 300  
Rating: G  
Summary: A typical day for Ronnie Knox; do his own work, finish Grell's, and off to a party…  
Warnings: none

888

Ronnie Knox made the same resolution every New Years; to be the best there is, so that he could finish his work early and party! Glancing at his watch, this year was proving to be the same as the others. All he needed to do was sign his name, close his book, get up and go.

He looked across the room at his fellow Shinigami, who were still hard at work.

_Don't look at him, don't look at him, don't look at him…_ he chanted in his head, but he could not help it. His mentor, Grell Sutcliff looked so pathetic, sitting there, surrounded by mounds of paperwork that he had left for the last minute, that Ronnie could not help feeling sorry for him. Sighing softly, he said, "Need some help with that, sir?"

Grell look up at him, his eyes shining brightly with gratitude. "Yes," he said, sounding even more wretched than he looked.

Ronnie glanced at his watch, he still had plenty of time to get home and get ready. _What am I going to do with you…? I'm supposed to be the struggling protégé, not you…_Taking off his suit jacket; he rolled up his sleeves and got to work. A half an hour later, he had Grell's paperwork in order, so all his mentor had to do was simply sign his name and be done with it. "There you go, sir. All it needs is your signature and you're done." Ronnie grinned at him. "And with that… I'm off. I've got a hot date tonight with Amanda Jensen from accounting." He stood up to go. "See you at the party!"

"Thanks," Grell said, signing his paperwork.

"No problem." Ronnie headed for the door. "Good night, sir!"

"Bye, have fun!"

"Thanks!" Ronnie said as he left office.


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: **Help!  
**Fandom:** Kuroshitsuji  
**Author:** kira  
**Words:** 300  
**Rating:** G  
**Summary:** Grell gets some help from an unexpected source…  
**Warnings: **none

**888**

Grell looked at the piles of paperwork on his desk and sighed. He also pouted like a little kid, wishing they would vanish. But that never happened before, nor did it now, and Grell had the feeling it was not going to happen in the future. He drew a little heart on his desk blotter, thoughts of William dancing in his head, while he tried to focus long enough to decide which pile to tackle first. When his thoughts began to stray towards Sebastian, Grell collapsed face first onto his desk. He groaned loudly, hoping the new kid, Ronnie Knox, would take pity on him and help him, when he realized he had left a half hour ago with William.

Help, much to Grell's surprise, arrived from a different quarter.

"Hehehe…" the Undertaker cackled. "What have got here?" He picked up one of Grell's unfinished reports and thumbed through it.

"Uh…uh… Undertaker…?" Grell blinked._ The legendary Shinigami is taking notice of me and my work…?_ His head nearly exploded at the thought.

"Want to have some fun?"

Grell nodded.

"All you have to do is write what I tell you…" The Undertaker cackled softly. "Now then…" He sat there, perched on the edge of Grell's desk, spouting nonsense for the next hour.

Grell dutifully wrote it all down. None of it made any sense to him at all, but it was the Undertaker after all, and nothing he said or did made any sense to Grell, or anyone else for that matter. Grell figured that was why he had his own wing in the library, with a staff solely devoted to gleaning the pearls of wisdom from his reports. And as he signed his last report, Grell had the feeling he was on the path to joining him in greatness…


	9. Chapter 9

**Title: **You've got to be kidding me…  
**Fandom:** Kuroshitsuji  
**Author:** kira  
**Words:** 300  
**Rating:** G  
**Summary:** Thanks to Grell, William's knickers are, once again, in a twist…  
**Warnings: **none

**888**

William T. Spears looked down at the report in his hand, then up at that miserable excuse for a Shinigami, Grell Sutcliff. He could the little vein in his left temple twitching, as he fought to remain calm, when all he wanted to do was escape from his job. "Shut up, Grell," he said curtly, putting a stop to his fellow Shinigami's babbling. Reaching for another report, he thumbed through it. There was no mistaking the familiar feel of the Undertaker's turn of a phrase, and yet, there was just enough "Grellness" there to add a measure of truth to his story.

_But how… and better yet, why would someone of the Undertaker's caliber want to help Sutcliff…? Normally the idiot cons Knox into doing his work for him, but the Undertaker…?_ William looked up at Grell again, heaving a long suffering sigh. But he was not willing to concede that the idiot was possibly telling the truth. And yet, the evidence was right there under his nose. "Is this some kind of a joke, Sutcliff?"

Grell, looking like a child who got caught doing something naughty, sputtered wordlessly. "No!" he finally squeaked out.

"Then how do you explain this?" William waved a hand at his subordinate's reports.

"I told you, William," Grell whined, "the Undertaker stopped by, took pity on poor overworked me and decided to help me… I swear it!"

"That's what you said before, but this is the Undertaker we're talking about and … you."

"But …"

"But nothing, Sutcliff, you will do these all over again, in your own words, understood?" William said in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Okay…" Grell whined.

William went back to his work; silently dismissing the bane of his existence…_ Maybe the rumors are true… If so, then we're in trouble…_


	10. Chapter 10

**Title: **Androgynous me…  
**Fandom:** Kuroshitsuji  
**Author:** kira  
**Words:** 300 words  
**Rating:** OT  
**Summary:** Getting ready for work, Grell briefly reflects on his life…  
**Warnings: **none

**Author's note:** I have chosen to refer to Grell as "he" rather than "she" when describing him since he not only looks male, but dresses like one, despite feeling more like a woman.

888

Grell sighed as he looked in mirror. Everyone thought he had a distorted view of himself, but he felt it was they, who did. He had always felt like a woman trapped in a man's body, even when he was alive. But now he felt it even more, after becoming a Shinigami with the freedom to express himself.

Picking up his hairbrush, he ran it over the long red strands of hair, smoothing out the tangles. Grell primped in front of his dressing table mirror, in much the same way a woman would, carefully trying to achieve his "best face," and settling for a somewhat androgynous look, expressing his feminine side with long hair, curled lashes, his favorite high heeled shoes, Madam Red's coat and his fey mannerisms.

While he was generally tolerated by his fellow Shinigami, the one he adored like no other, his "Sweet William," always viewed him with a painful mix of irritation and disgust. When he was being honest with himself, the other "love" of life, Sebastian Michaelis viewed him the same way. Undaunted, Grell put on a cheery smile as he got up to face another at the office, after giving his reflection a quick once over. Now that he was, as that cute Ronnie Knox once put it at an after hours office party, "good enough to eat," he felt confident enough to deal with whatever the job threw at him.

Sighing happily, Grell would consider it the best day ever if he got to not only work with William, but caught a glimpse or two of his beloved "Sebast-chan." And if reality refused to cooperate with him, Grell figured his rich imagination could always supply the necessary details. Donning his red coat, Grell left for the office and another day's work of reaping souls…


	11. Chapter 11

**Title:** A Private Celebration  
**Fandom:** Kuroshitsuji  
**Characters or Pairing: **Grell Sutcliff/William T. Spears  
**Author: **kira  
**Genre: **Romance  
**Rating:** OT  
**Summary:** Grell and William have a private celebration  
**Warnings: **none

**Author's note:** written for fanfic bake-off & DA's Shinigami Library

888

Grell breezed into William's office, carrying a cake. "Happy birthday to you…" he sang in a soft, breathy voice. He grinned when his superior glanced up from his work.

"What do you want, Sutcliff?" William said brusquely, quirking his eyebrow at the fey Shinigami.

"It's not good to be alone and hard at work on your birthday, Will…" Grell trilled as he set the cake down in front of him and lit the candle.

"I don't have time for your foolishness, Sutcliff," William's tone wavered for a moment, "And what the hell are you wearing?" He frowned.

"Oh, Will! You noticed!" Grell cried happily. "Do you like it?" He ran his hand down the short, filmy red negligee. "That's part of my gift to you," he purred.

William heaved a long suffering sigh, although, deep down when he really thought about it, he was touched by Grell's gesture.

"Come on, Will, make a wish and blow out your candle…"

"Shinigami don't have birthdays, Sutcliff. Or deathdays," he added when he saw the look in the other man's eye. "However, I suppose I could indulge your foolishness just this once…" he said softly, and leaning forward, he blew out the candle.

"You make a wish?"

"Yes, I wished you'd get the hell out of here and let me finish my work." William reached for the file on his desk.

Grell laughed as he came over and sat on William's lap. "You know it won't come true now that you've told me."

"That's what I was afraid of."

"Are you afraid of this…?" Grell kissed him.

"No…"

"Good… then you won't be afraid of this…" Grell kissed him again, deepening it as he fumbled with William's clothes. "And the rest of my present…"

"Sutcliff…"

"Yes…?"

"Shut up and let's celebrate."

"Oh, Will…"


	12. Chapter 12

**Title: **Bloody Mess  
**Fandom:** Kuroshitsuji  
**Author:** kira  
**Words:** 300  
**Rating:** PG 13 for mention of murderous doings  
**Summary: **Thanks to Grell's dalliance with Madam Red, William is stuck sorting out the paperwork…

**Author's note: **Takes place during the Jack the Ripper arc and is mildly spoilerish for it

Special thanks to Kat for coming up with a title.

888

William T. Spears sighed. The office was too quiet now that Grell Sutcliff had disappeared for parts unknown. He was supposed to reap the soul of Anne Durless, a simple enough job that even a newly graduated reaper should have been able to do it without any trouble. Rumor had it, he was taking his time, masquerading as the woman's butler of all things, and that would never do William's humble opinion.

He shook his head at the overtime and paperwork involved, now that the two were engaging in some sort of killing spree. _Jack the Ripper, my ass! _William mentally swore._ Innocent lives cut short, souls reaped too soon… It'll be eons before anyone can straighten your mess out, Sutcliff! And all for what? Some stupid woman, who finally tickled your fancy? _"Knox! Get in here!"

"Yes, sir!"

"He's your mentor; you can help with the paperwork and don't give any nonsense about some date you've got with one of the secretaries in the main office. If you had gone instead of Sutcliff, we wouldn't be in this mess." William pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and glared at the young reaper. "Of all the times to take your advice about women…" he grumbled under his breath. "Get to it, Knox!"

"Yes, sir!"

_Bloody hell…_ William felt a nasty headache blooming behind his eyes._ If it's not the Undertaker wreaking havoc in the library, it's you, Sutcliff, doing something irresponsible! Whatever happened to the no-nonsense reaper who graduated at the top of his class? It's like you grew your hair out and became bloody stupid… _William took off his glasses and tossed them onto his desk. Rubbing tiredly at his forehead, he took a few calming breaths. Picking up his pen, he continued doing his paperwork…


	13. Chapter 13

**Title: **Under the Mistletoe  
**Fandom: **Kuroshitsuji  
**Author:** kira  
**Words:** 215  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** Grell and Will share a moment under the mistletoe  
**Warnings:** very mild boy's love (a kiss)

**Author's Notes: **Cross-posted at Fanfic Bake-off & 12 days of ficmas

888

"What kind of a sticky mess have you gotten yourself into this time, Sutcliff?" William T. Spears asked as he stood in the doorway to Grell's office.

Grell looked up at him from behind a mountain of paperwork and smiled. His beloved William was standing under the mistletoe that that nice Ronnie Knox kid had hung up for him. "Ummm…?" Grell said as he got and hurried over to him. This was his big opportunity to legitimately steal a kiss from him and Grell was not about to waste it.

Wrapping his arms around the startled Spears, Grell pulled him close, kissing him long and hard. Coming up for air, he said saucily, "Merry Christmas, Will…"

"Merry Christmas, Sutcliff," he replied as he tried untangling himself from the redheaded Shinigami's clutches.

"Oh look…" Grell purred, "I'm under the mistletoe too… Now you have to kiss me."

"The hell I wi-" William sighed at the look in Grell's eyes, and bowing to the inevitable, he leaned in to kiss him.

Grell, of course, took full advantage of the situation and deepened it, not that William actually minded. They stood there for several minutes, kissing, amid the catcalls of the small crowd that had assembled to find out what was keeping them from the office Christmas party…


	14. Chapter 14

**Title: **Work vs. Play  
**Fandom: **Kuroshitsuji  
**Author:** kira  
**Words:** 258  
**Rating:** OT  
**Summary:** Will decides he'd rather play after all…  
**Warnings:** none

888

"Whatcha doing, Will?" Grell asked as he sauntered over to his boss. He peered over the top of his glasses at him, trying to look as cute and fetching as possible as he batted his eyelashes at him. "Will…?"

William T. Spears looked up from the report he was working on and gave the annoying intrusion a cold hard stare. The way the light reflected off of his glasses, it made his green eyes glitter like emeralds. "Work," he said tersely. "Something you should be doing, Sutcliff."

"Oh…" Grell's angelic pout quickly morphed into his familiar shark-toothed grin. "Well, lucky for me, Will, Knox gladly did it for me. He did mention something about needing to see Miss Finch in Requisitions about a new scythe and a date and that he would drop off the books I borrowed…" Grell babbled on.

"Sutcliff…" William sighed. "Go away." He looked back down at the report he was working on before he was so rudely interrupted. "I'm busy." He spared Grell one last withering look, ignoring him completely afterwards.

"But, Will…" Grell whined. He was met with stony silence. Not easily daunted, he walked around behind William, and throwing his arms around him, he purred, his breath warm against William's cheek, "I'll be waiting for you at home. Try not to work any overtime, okay?" Grell kissed him, before sashaying out of his office.

William watched him go, happy he had left, while at the same time, missing Grell's flamboyant presence. Sighing softly, William quickly finished his report and hurried home…


End file.
